This Is Guernsey

By Nick Mollet

FAMILIES are boycotting Checkers over the closure of Playzone, used by more than 150 children a week. A petition has been started and those behind it are urging others to join them in a protest at Admiral Park on Friday at 3.30pm.

But store owner Sandpiper said yesterday it would not be going back on its decision to close the children’s area on 4 April.

The angry parents claim it is not a drop-in centre but a proper preschool where payment has to be made in advance.

‘If they close Playzone, I won’t shop here. I have not shopped here since last Friday and I won’t. That is why so many people with young families shop here,’ said mother Joan Annetts.

‘A lot of staff at Admiral Park also send their children here while they are working and what about the poor staff being made redundant?’ she asked.

‘It’s not just about shopping here, it’s about the preschool and birthday, Christmas, Easter and Halloween parties. There is also a holiday club where three- to eight-year-olds can come.’

Becky and Geoff Tostevin’s three-year-old twins Ben and Kyle attend regularly.

‘I have boycotted the premises in protest. The only reason we come here is because the boys can go in the Playzone. It’s stress-free shopping for us and the boys love it,’ said Mrs Tostevin, 34. ‘They are old enough to go into the holiday club, but not old enough to go into a States holiday club. I might have to consider giving up my job because I might not have anywhere to take my children in the summer holidays. Moneywise, I’m going to lose out on a salary.’

Husband Geoff, 37, said: ‘The biggest loss is from a stress perspective. It’s so convenient to know the boys can be in a safe and secure environment with properly trained staff. It’s a unique point of Checkers and they are destroying it.’

Sandpiper’s operations director Mark Cox said it was willing to talk to the unhappy families.

‘We are quite prepared to meet the people who are launching the petition and if they care passionately we are more than willing to talk to them about the decision. Hopefully they will understand the reasons why we are taking the action.’

He dismissed claims that Playzone has about 3,000 registered users.

‘We would love it if 3,000 people were using that facility, but sadly it’s nowhere near that number. In a normal week there are 150 to 200 children going through,’ he said.

‘It’s not a decision we have taken lightly and we have spent a lot of time working with the current operator, Camden Leisure, to explore opportunities to improve the facility and generate more usage of it.’

‘However, the rising costs of operating and maintaining the high standards within the area have resulted in us agreeing with Camden Leisure to close the facility,’ said Mr Cox.

The cost of entry would need to be more than £10 per day to keep it going.

Mr Cox would not say what would replace Playzone, but categorically denied it would be Starbucks.

‘We are working on some plans and are in negotiations with a number of people to offer facilities that customers would be interested in using in the future,’ he said.